Rite in the Rain: A Weather-Proof Paper Notebook Full of Badass

It's all right in the rain. Photo: Ariel Zambelich/Wired

Rite in the Rain doesn’t like to use the term “waterproof” to describe its all-weather notebooks, but these writing journals come pretty darn close to being just that. We tossed several of the iconic yellow books, as well as their fabric cases, in a jar full of water. We dropped them in a mud puddle. Then we washed them, scrubbed at the notes we had made with the included pen, and dried them out.

Our hand-written notes? Barely even smudged.

The notebooks use a “paper impregnation” process (which is less risque then it sounds) to force a mixture of water-based protectants into the paper while it’s still in giant rolls. The recyclable paper remains soft, but doesn’t tear, even when wet. What’s more, the pressurized cartridge in the bundled pen worked even after we left it in a freezer overnight (though it did peter out a bit when writing through a puddle on one of the notebook’s pages).

For all the effort we put into beating up the Rite in the Rain books, it wasn’t until we set one on fire that we managed to do any real damage.

While you might not think that the simple act of writing could ever be badass, writing on a Rite in the Rain could quickly change your opinion. Already a go-to for field biologists, we have a feeling these badass little books could develop a following among adventuresome journalists. And if you ever draw a map to buried treasure, make sure it’s on one of these. It’ll be worth the $4 to $55 you’ll pay for the notebook, depending on the size, binding, and case.

Watch us abuse a couple of Rite in the Rain’s notebooks in the video below, and don’t miss yesterday’s badass gadget, the Fiskars Shop Boss. They’re way more than just a pair of scissors.

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